Gia Giudice Looks Back on Parents Teresa and Joe’s Legal Troubles with New Appreciation: ‘It Was Not Easy’ (Exclusive)

As Gia Giudice has aged, her appreciation for her parents Joe and Teresa Giudice has only grown stronger.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey the star was just 12 years old when her parents’ legal problems began. Indicted on federal fraud charges in 2013, Joe and Teresa — who also share daughters Gabriella, 19, Milania, 17, and Audriana, 14 — have been serving time in prison.

Teresa, 51, served an 11-month prison sentence before Joe, also 51, served 41 months and was later deported to his native Italy in 2019, despite living in the United States all his life. He currently lives in the Bahamas.

Gia Giudice Says Her Dad Joe Has ‘Grown Up So Much’ Amid Bahamian Exile: ‘I Can’t Really Be That Angry’ (Exclusive)

Now 22, Gia can look back on that challenging time in her family’s life with a renewed sense of gratitude.

“Just seeing what my mom did over the years when my dad was away. And also, when you’re older, you realize the value of money. The value of raising a family. The value of taking care of children,” she explains. “And it’s not cheap. It’s not easy. That’s why I appreciate what my father did from when we were younger until he was indicted, unfortunately.”

“For my mom who was strong all those years when my father was away and then he was deported, my mother never worried us,” Gia continues. “We never really thought anything was going to happen. I don’t know how she did it, but she kept our family together. And I think that’s something that I praise my mother for every day because she kept our family strong, and obviously my dad too .”

The Giudice family. Gia Giudice/Instagram Gia Giudice on how she managed to stay ‘true to herself’ while growing up in the spotlight (Exclusive)

Gia — who currently works a day job in marketing, is pursuing a career in influence, and is studying for her LSAT after graduating with a degree in criminal justice — believes her parents’ views on legal issues helped her and her younger sisters grow into strong women.

“I appreciate both of them so much for raising us to be the women we are today and for always trying to protect us from everything that happens because I’m sure it wasn’t easy,” she explains. “My mom was probably stressed every day, and I’m sure she still is today. I don’t think a day goes by without being stressed about it, but I could only imagine the fear she probably had when my dad was away doing this himself.”

“It was definitely one of the hardest things,” she continues. – She always tried to protect us from the negative and I really appreciate that.

Gia Giudice and Teresa Giudice. Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank Joe Giudice poses in University of Michigan gear on daughter Gabrielle’s college move-in day

Although her parents were still married at the time, they have since separated and divorced as of 2020 (but remain on good terms). Gia says her family’s complicated journey over the years made her realize how difficult life as a single parent can be.

“I give the most credit to single parents,” she says. “My dad did it for a while, while my mom was away, and it’s hard. And I think men, I think they go into complete shock. My dad didn’t know what he’d do without my mom.”

“It’s strange how everything happens,” she notes. “My dad had so much time to do it on his own … so now when we go to the Bahamas, he’s doing it on his own again. So as strange as it may seem and as bittersweet as it is, everything somehow happens for a reason. But listen , we’re all tough. We’ve all done it and it’s good.”

Teresa Giudice says co-parenting with ex Joe Giudice has been ‘great’: ‘My kids are really happy’

Reflecting on her personal growth while her parents were incarcerated and how she had to take on the role of parent to her younger siblings, Gia says the biggest thing she learned during that time was the importance of using her voice.

“I learned to speak up for myself and my family because there were just scenarios where things weren’t true. And I took on that role to stand up for my family… and stay grounded,” she says.

Gia Giudice.

kyle braylen photo/@kylebraylen

Teresa Giudice believes she was ‘used as an example’ for prison fraud charge: ‘Most devastating thing’

Gia is also impressed with the way her younger sisters handled the legal problems that rocked their family when they were children.

“Especially for Audriana, she was so young when we went through everything, and it was the same with Milanija and Gabriella, but how honest they are… their life is still beautiful,” he says. “They didn’t let what happened to us negatively affect them.”

“Some children could have been affected by this much more and could have led us down a bad path,” she points out. “A lot of things could have happened to us mentally. And I’m so happy that each of us had the mental strength to keep going and keep pushing… Everyone is great, and our family has truly been more connected through the tough times. We’re there for each other no matter what.”

“Basically, I think what we’ve been through has made us a lot stronger, as cliché as it sounds, but the hard times have really made us a lot stronger and closer,” she adds.

From left: Gabriella Giudice, Gia Giudice, Teresa Giudice, Milania Giudice and Audriana Giudice.

Manny Carabel/Getty Images

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Because of her fierce devotion to her family, it’s no surprise that Gia would “love” to see a Giudice family spinoff on Bravo one day, depicting their lives after the legal troubles and how they brought the families together with her stepfather Luis “Louie” Ruelas.

“I think it would be really fun, especially if we could include my dad, and us going to the Bahamas and just show how we really are such a blended family,” she shares. “My dad and Louie talk a lot… we’re really such a blended family and we really all have a lot of respect for each other. And I know the fans, they always say we miss Juicy Joe. So I feel like that would be so fun to see us all together. I mean that it would really be something different.”

“I think the Bravo screen would break, 100 percent… I think it would literally break the internet,” she adds. “And I think people would be so interested, ‘Oh, how are Joe and Teresa getting along and how are they parenting together?’ Meanwhile, it’s so easy. They’re the same. They fight just the same. They used to be friends, so they’re just friends 1699656046but not together.”

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey can be downloaded in its entirety on Peacock.

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